Method of making a drag-link element



M. P. GRAHAM METHOD OF MAKING A DRAG LINK ELEMENT Dec. 14, 1925.

165 Jan. 11. 1923 Original Fi Patented Dec. 14, 1926.

pairs s'r'ras MATTHEW P. GRAHAM, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE STEEL PRODUCTS COMPANY, CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORIORATION OF OHIO.

METHOD OF MAKING A DRAG-LINK ELEMENT.

Original application filed January 11, 1923, serial No. 612,1 ia. Divided and this application filed March 15, 1924. Serial No. 699,403.

My invention relates to the main elements of drag-links, tie-rods, or similar devices including in their construction an end tubular socket.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and economical method of producing by welding, a socket construction which will meet the necessary requirements of the art in which the article is used.

The said invention consists of a method of producing a socket, hereinafter fully described and particularly set forth in the claims, said method being also disclosed in my Patent No. 1,597,965 dated August 31, 1926, in which said socket is specifically claimed.

Heretofore drag-links and the like have been provided with an end socket by upsetting or otherwise forming the end of the stock so as to produce an end cup-shaped flange to which a tubular socket member has been welded. As a result of the welding operation the molten metal flowed inwardly and had later to be removed so as to prepare the interior of the socket for the reception of other associated elements, such as a spring, bearing-blocks, etc. This operation added an undesirable expense to the cost of manufacture.

A specific object of the invention is to eliminate in the abovedescribed general method of manufacture, the said operation.

This object I accomplish by upsetting the end portion of the stock to form a cupshaped flange which joins the main or bodyportion of the link intermediately of the ends of said body portion terminating in a plane intersecting said main or body-portion, and then welding the socket member to said. flange. A boss is thus produced which extends into the socket cavity beyond the weld-joint which forms an abutment for the said associated elements, thereby eliminating the necessity of removing the intruded metal from the interior.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth certain 'means and a 1 which the main or body-member of the drag link element is made.

Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the end portion of said main member after the flange has been formed thereon.

Fig. 3 represents an axial sectional view of said end portion and a tubular socket member, before the welding operation has been effected.

Fig. at represents an. axial sectional view after the welding operation has been effected, and

Fig. 5 represents an axial sectional view of the finished drag-link element and asso ciated parts.

In practicing my invention I take a piece of steel bar-stock 1 of suitable composition. and upset the end portion thereof either hot or cold, to form a cup-shaped flange 2 which. joins the member, as shown in Fig. 3, at a distance from the end of the member and Itaermmates in a plane intersecting said mem- A tubular socket 3, of the required length and of the same diameter and thickness as the end of the flange 2, is then butt-welded to said flange as shown in Fig. 4. The molten metal flows inwardly and outwardly at the oint and forms an interior and exterior burr as shown. The exterior burr 4 then removed by grinding. The interior burr 5 is formed in the annular space 6 surrounding the end or boss 7. This boss is made of sufficient length to project into the socket cavity beyond the weld-joint and forms the abutment for the interior elements of the drag-link or tie-rod, as shown in Fig. 5.

It will be noted that the said boss removes the requirement of placing'any of said interior elements adjacent to the weld-joint, and the necessity of removing the interior burr is hence eliminated.

What I claim is:

1. The method of making a drag-link element or the like, which consits in forming a flange intermediately of the ends of a bar and then welding a tubular socket-member to said flange.

2. The method of making adrag-link elebar intermediat'ely of its ends; and then Welding a tubular socket-member to said flange.

3. The method of making -21 gh'ag-link-element 01' the hke, which consists in upsetting the end portion of a bar to form a cup-shaped flange terminating in a plane intersecting said end portion and then Welding a tuhuiur sweet-member to said flange.

Signed by me this 11th day of February, 1924;

MATTHEW P. GRAHAM. 

